12.2 Past Paper Questions

1. What is the electron configuration for an atom with Z = 22?

A. 1s22s22p63s23p63d4

B. 1s22s22p63s23p64s24p2

C. 1s22s22p63s23p63d24p2

D. 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d2

(Total 1 mark)

2. What is the total number of p orbitals containing one or more electrons in germanium (atomic number 32)?

A. 2

B. 3

C. 5

D. 8

(Total 1 mark)

3. How many electrons are there in all the d orbitals in an atom of xenon?

A. 10

B. 18

C. 20

D. 36

(Total 1 mark)

4. Which is correct about the element tin (Sn) (Z = 50)?

(Total 1 mark)

5. What is the total number of electrons in p orbitals in an atom of iodine?

A. 5

B. 7

C. 17

D. 23

(Total 1 mark)

6. A transition metal ion X2+ has the electronic configuration [Ar]3d9. What is the atomic number of the element?

A. 27

B. 28

C. 29

D. 30

(Total 1 mark)

7. How many orbitals are there in the n = 3 level of an atom?

A. 3

B. 5

C. 7

D. 9

(Total 1 mark)

8. What is the electron configuration for the Copper(I) ion, (Z = 29)?

A. [Ar]4s23d9

B. [Ar]4s13d10

C. [Ar]4s13d9

D. [Ar]3d10

(Total 1 mark)

9. (i) State the full electron configuration for Argon.

……………………………………………………………………………………(1)

(ii) Give the formulas of two oppositely charged ions which have the same electron configuration as Argon.

……………………………………………………………………………………(2)

(Total 3 marks)

10. (a) Use the Aufbau principle to write the electron configuration of an atom of germanium.

................................................................................................................................(1)

(b) The successive ionization energies of germanium are shown in the following table:

(i) Identify the sub-level from which the electron is removed when the first ionization energy of germanium is measured.

......................................................................................................................(1)

(ii) Write an equation, including state symbols, for the process occurring when measuring the second ionization energy of germanium.

......................................................................................................................(1)

(iii) Explain why the difference between the 4th and 5th ionization energies is much greater than the difference between any two other successive values.

.........................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................(2)

(Total 5 marks)

11. (i) Explain why successive ionization energies of an element increase.

...................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................(1)

(ii) Explain how successive ionization energies account for the existence of three main energy levels in the sodium atom.

...................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................(3)

(Total 4 marks)